I no longer wish to "suck"!

[Solutions Etcetera]

Need ball striking help anywhere from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe

Big Mistake: I am self taught and been playing off and on for 20 years.

After about a 5 year layoff, I want to start playing regularly and am planning to become a member of my local course.

But... I have always been a sweeper and want to improve my ball striking. With a good lie I can hit my clubs straight and reasonably consistent, but due to the fact that I have no lag, I only hit my 7 iron about 150. And since I sweep, anything but a good lie can be anyone's guess.

After 4 lessons with my local pro (and a thousand plus balls) I am considering that he may not be for me. He has helped me a bit with posture, setup, and grip... but he has just not been able to connect with me enough for me to "feel" what I should be doing in this regard.

My setup and backswing are ok, but the downswing is a mess with me being pretty much unwound by the time the clubface hits the ball. "He" has this simple, effortless swing, that can hit my PW 150 yds, and keeps reinforcing the fact that this should be almost automatic, but I just don't get it.

I go to the range and warm up, hitting it high and straight (albeit behind the ball), but as soon as I try to work on things I have been told to work on to get my hands forward, I end up not being able to hit the ball at all (most commonly with a low shank right - but it can be almost anything).

I keep hoping he will come up with something that will make the light come on (and I have discussed this with him on several occasions), but I just don't get it and am starting to become frustrated.

[TexasAg]

If you're willing to go down to Monterey, you can go see Ben Doyle. Definitely one of the top instructors in the world.

[Solutions Etcetera]

If you're willing to go down to Monterey, you can go see Ben Doyle. Definitely one of the top instructors in the world.

Interesting thought. Too far for a regular commute. Do you think it possible (given my current lack of propensity to pick this up) that he can fix this in a lesson or three spread out over a few days? I would consider a mini-vacation to do this.

 

lemmeno... and thanks.

 

-ss

[Diesel]

just search out a different guy... not everyone will get good results from the same pro...

 

i personally had sought out another guy just to see if he could do anything for me, that my current pro already has, and this new guy screwed me up for at least a week...

 

i did take a few things from him, but put that together with what i had already had and it seems to have worked out for now...

 

and hitting your 7I "only" 150 yards is not bad distance... most "good" players probably hit their 7I's 150-165 yards...

[Solutions Etcetera]

and hitting your 7I "only" 150 yards is not bad distance... most "good" players probably hit their 7I's 150-165 yards...

Appreciate that... but note that result is only gonna be on a perfect lie. Anything between the ball and the behind area I always seem to contact the ground at and I am screwed. I can live with my current distance, but if I am ever gonna be consistent throughout my round I am gonna have to learn to hit down/through the ball.

 

Cheers!

 

-ss

[Tingting]

going through the same thing with lessons remember that you have been self learned for 20 years. there are hard things to break. for me as long as i have confidence with my instuctor i will stick with him. in learning there is learning curve you will hit bad shots in the beginning because you are trying something way too unusual and it does not feel right. hang in there

[Ezgolfer]

I would highly recommend "Hit down dammnit website" , book and also CD . It will help you become a hitter from swinger .Worth the cost of lesson . It will teach you how to hit the ball. Helped me a lot . Teaching pro 's will mess with your path , grip posture , swing etc.. No one ever told me how to hit the damn ball. This book was very helpful in specifically addressing that question, understanding hitting down, compression, backspin etc.

[Diesel]

you certainly would not want to have 2-3 lessons in a few days span either...

 

there's gotta be other pros in your area to get a different perspective...

 

what is your thought when coming into the ball...? i assume being a sweeper, your thought is hitting the back of the ball...?

 

you need to get that out of your head, and think about hitting the area a few inches in front of the ball... this is going to make you hit DOWN on the ball...

[TexasAg]

If you're willing to go down to Monterey, you can go see Ben Doyle. Definitely one of the top instructors in the world.

Interesting thought. Too far for a regular commute. Do you think it possible (given my current lack of propensity to pick this up) that he can fix this in a lesson or three spread out over a few days? I would consider a mini-vacation to do this.

 

lemmeno... and thanks.

 

-ss

 

I think it's worth a mini-vacation. I've never met Ben personally, however I've heard only great things about him. His list of students is a who's who of the golfing world.

 

But if you're willing to travel farther, I would recommend Brian Manzella hands down. Give him an hour and he'll having you hitting the ball like you never thought possible. If you spent 5-6 hours with him over a few days, you'll be able to make some huge improvements in your game. Everybody I know that's spent time with Brian (including myself) has wondered why they didn't do it sooner.

[Solutions Etcetera]

you certainly would not want to have 2-3 lessons in a few days span either...

 

there's gotta be other pros in your area to get a different perspective...

 

what is your thought when coming into the ball...? i assume being a sweeper, your thought is hitting the back of the ball...?

 

you need to get that out of your head, and think about hitting the area a few inches in front of the ball... this is going to make you hit DOWN on the ball...

I have been given the drill of putting something in front of the ball (tee, leaf, etc.) and concentrating on that. And the one that even sets up the ball outside my left foot. Actually the latter was more successful than the former, but I would not consider either an effective drill.

 

Currently I have to conciously maintain my wrist **** (physically trying to cup my wrist) on the downswing to prevent the early release... but when I do this I have NO feel for when the release should come or how to initiate it... or "if" I should initiate it (I really do feel clueless here)

 

As for other pros in my area... I am hoping there is someone closer than Monterrey or So. CA. that can be effective in getting me to feel this (that is why I am asking for recommendations). I would like to avoid, if possible, just sampling each pro in geographical order until I hit the jackpot.

 

I have been told what I am doing wrong. I have been showed what I am doing wrong. I just have not been showed what "I" need to do to change it. My current pro is a very nice guy, I just think he may be a little inexperienced getting through to hard heads like myself.

 

So... I am still looking for personal recommendations in the areas originally specified.

 

Thanks.

[Solutions Etcetera]

But if you're willing to travel farther, I would recommend Brian Manzella hands down. Give him an hour and he'll having you hitting the ball like you never thought possible. If you spent 5-6 hours with him over a few days, you'll be able to make some huge improvements in your game. Everybody I know that's spent time with Brian (including myself) has wondered why they didn't do it sooner.

That is very tempting!, but probably not possible at the moment. If I am still struggling with this next Spring (GOD FORBID) I could/would make the trip.

 

If anyone else knows of any local talent please let me know.

[Smitty4860]

I second the vote to go see Brian Manzella. Worth every single penny.

[Confiado]

i recommend the swingsetter for feel. JMO

[Solutions Etcetera]

i recommend the swingsetter for feel. JMO

Actually... this was brought up in a conversation with my pro (albeit with some reservation). So... you find it to be of some value.

 

The good news is that I have started working from chip shots with a forward press, and gradually working out to a longer and longer swing (keeping a close watch on my right elbow as this would tend to fly when I am concentrating on keeping my wrist cupped on the downswing) and I am starting to see "some" results.

 

Not the "light has come on" realization I have been hoping to find, but at least I am seeing some improvement here. I think I might give this device a try.

 

Thanks.